1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a shift member fixing structure of electrical connection terminal, and more particularly to a terminal device for an electrical conductive wire to insert and connect with. The shift member is formed with an insertion section and walls defining the insertion section. Apart of the wall is removed to provide elastic effect for the insertion section. The removed part is repositioned on a surface of the main body to form an interference section. The insertion section and the interference section together set up a fixing system. Only when an operational force is applied to the shift member to release the shift member from the assembling or interference state, the shift member can be further moved. The shift member fixing structure of electrical connection terminal can be easily and conveniently operated.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional connection terminal (block) or wire-pressing terminal (block) has an insulation case (generally made of plastic material). A metal member or metal leaf spring is enclosed in the insulation case to press a conductive wire inserted in the connection terminal and electrically connect with the conductive wire. For example, EP 2325947 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,989 B1 disclose typical electrical connection terminals.
The conventional connection terminal is for inserting on a circuit board (such as a PCB). The conventional connection terminal includes an insulation case and a shift member reciprocally movably mounted on the case. The case has a through hole or wire inlet for a conductive wire to insert into the case. The case defines a chamber in which a metal leaf spring is mounted. The shift member is operable to control the metal leaf spring into contact or electrical connection with the conductive wire inserted in the case.
To speak more specifically, the metal leaf spring has a head end. After the conductive wire is inserted into the case, the shift member can be pressed down to force the tail end of the metal leaf spring to bite the conductive wire and keep the conductive wire in contact with the metal leaf spring without easy detachment from the insulation case. Only when an operator pushes the shift member upward to release the pressing state, the conductive wire is released from the pressing of the metal leaf spring.
Basically, the metal leaf spring is connected with a finer or narrower terminal pin in a symmetrical form. The terminal pin is inserted on the circuit board and electrically connected with the circuit board.
There is another conventional terminal block or connection terminal. A shift member is disposed on the connection terminal to control the metal leaf spring to press the conductive wire or release the conductive wire. A forked head end is bridged between two sides of the shift member to bear the press of the shift member in response to the operation of the shift member. That is, when the shift member is operated to press the metal leaf spring downward, the tail end of the metal leaf spring is forced to press down the conductive wire entering the terminal block and bite the conductive wire. After the shift member is pushed upward, the rear end section of the shift member will push the forked head end of the metal leaf spring to lift the tail end of the metal leaf spring so as to release the conductive wire from the pressed state.
In the above connection terminal, in order to fix the tail end of the metal leaf spring and keep the tail end pressing down and biting the conductive wire entering the terminal block without detachment, the forked head end of the metal leaf spring is formed with an arched section. A pair of slender arms extends from an upper section of the terminal pin corresponding to the arched section. When the shift member presses down the forked head end of the metal leaf spring, the arched section is forced to enter the arms to be grasped by or latched with the arms. When the shift member is pushed upward, the shift member will push the arched section to leave the arms and release the arched section from the latched state so as to release the conductive wire.
With respect to the structural design and application of such kind of terminal or connection terminal, in order to make the arched section have sufficient structural strength to bear the latch of the arms of the terminal pin and reduce the deformation of the structure so as not to affect the wire-pressing effect of the metal leaf spring, the arched section is practically made with a C-shaped configuration. Obviously, this structural form will increase the complexity in manufacturing of the metal leaf spring and make the manufacturing cost higher.
There is still another electrical conductive wire connection terminal device. In the terminal device, two sides of the pivoted section of the shift member are formed with recessed section and raised section to press α-shaped metal leaf spring. When the shift member is operated and pressed down against the terminal case, the pivoted section of the shift member (or a position of the recessed section near the raised section) is pressed against the bow-shaped curved section of the α-shaped metal leaf spring in a temporary pressing/fixing balanced state. Such kind of terminal device is further equipped with a latch mechanism, springs and other components to help in fixing the shift member or enhancing the stability of location of the shift member. Therefore, such terminal connection is relatively complicated in structure and assembling process.
According to the above, the conventional connection terminal or terminal block that including the shift member, the metal leaf spring and the terminal pin has some shortcomings in assembling process and structural design. The assembling structures of the case, the shift member and the metal leaf spring of the conventional electrical connection terminal need to be redesigned into an improved structure, which is different from the conventional electrical connection terminal in use form and application. Also, the manufacturing cost of the terminal device can be as lowered as possible.
It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a shift member fixing structure of electrical connection terminal to overcome or improve the above problems of the conventional connection terminal. The shift member fixing structure of electrical connection terminal is advantageous over the conventional connection terminal. For example, in condition that the entire electrical connection terminal is stably assembled and is able to effectively press the conductive wire, the shift member and the metal leaf spring of the electrical connection terminal can cooperate with each other to improve the shortcoming of the conventional connection terminal that the structure is complicated. Also, an operator can more easily and conveniently operate the shift member. Especially, with respect to the assembly of the shift member and the terminal connection or metal leaf spring, the system for pressing the conductive wire is more stable and can more securely fix the conductive wire.